A. Otake et al.

New Technologies of ARIETTA

Diagnostic Ultrasound System
Akifumi Otake1）　　　　　　Akifumi Sakou2）

First Medical System Technology Headquarters, Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.

1)

2)
Second Medical System Technology Headquarters, Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd.

We developed ARIETTA※1 V70 and ARIETTA V60 diagnostic ultrasound systems, the best among the systems in this
class, by inheriting the technologies and the performance of Hitachi Medical and Aloka, for realizing higher performance
and downsizing. Following is the report on the new imaging technologies towards high image quality centering on the
Symphonic Technology.

Key Words: Diagnostic Ultrasound, ARIETTA, Symphonic Technology

1. Introduction
Hitachi Aloka Medical, Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as
Hitachi Aloka) was established in April 2011 as a result of
the integration of Hitachi Group’s diagnostic ultrasound
business. Hitachi Aloka has now become Japan’s largest
ultrasound manufacturing company, marketing 12 different
diagnostic ultrasound systems and more than 250 types of
probes (transducers). However, to establish Hitachi Group’s
brand in the diagnostic ultrasound industry, it was necessary
to integrate the different operability of systems developed by
the two companies and harmonize overlapping functions and
probes as soon as possible.
The process was started by Hitachi Medical Corporation
and Aloka Co., Ltd. evaluating each other. Both had long but
different experiences of global introductions of diagnostic
ultrasound systems 1) 2), and also differed in the performance
of their systems in each discipline. In the venture to develop
the ARIETTA series*1, the goal was to integrate the basic
capabilities, functionalities, usabilities, and new technologies
of both companies to achieve a higher level of customer Figure 1. Diagnostic ultrasound ARIETTA series
satisfaction. Left: ARIETTA V70; Right: ARIETTA V60
The ARIETTA series comprises two models, ARIETTA
V70 and ARIETTA V60. The for mer integrates the
technical assets of the high-end systems of Hitachi Medical
Corporation and Aloka Co., Ltd., and the latter features
compactness and ease of use. Symphonic Technology
encompasses the separate technologies that ser ve as the
pillars of the ARIETTA series (Figure 1).

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 A. Otake et al.

2. Symphonic Technology
Symphonic Technology divides the process from
ultrasonic signal transmission to image display on the
monitor into the following five modules:
- Probe
- Frontend
- Beam Former
- Backend
- Monitor
It adopts and harmonizes the optimized technologies
throughout the ultrasound system to achieve the highest
possible image quality (Figure 2).
The most important challenge in this quest is how to
secure efficiency and fidelity in energy transfer between
the transducer is increased, and for probes with transducers
composed of multiple elements (Figure 4).
In addition, the ARIETTA series comes with a selection
of probes made from single crystal piezoelectric material.
In engineering, a single cr ystal is defined as a material
in which atoms are regularly aligned with the axes of all
cr ystals oriented in the same direction in the material. A
polycr ystal is defined as a random aggregation of single
crystals. The use of this single crystal piezoelectric material
in the transducer allows the direction of the mechanical
strains in the material to be aligned in the same intended
direction to produce a high piezoelectric effect (Figure 5).
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Figure 3: Impedance matching between the probe and

the main unit
Poor matching results in an attenuation of the output waveform and
reduced sensitivity.

Figure 2: Symphonic Technology

Symphonic Technology, the imaging technology adopted in the
ARIETTA series, consists of five high-performance modules. �����*����������������+������������'���
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(1) Probe
Probe design requires optimization of signal transmission !��������
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efficiency between the main unit of the diagnostic ultrasound ��4
system and the subject, and calls for an advanced architecture
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built on engineering technologies in the fields of electricity, �.4

machinery, acoustics, etc 3). We have developed a new group
of probes called Smart Transducer series for the ARIETTA
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series. These probes use the newly developed Multi-layered
Crystal Technology as standard for the medium-frequency
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convex probes, to achieve yet greater image quality. .����/����0����1����2����3 �������
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A transmitted ultrasonic signal reflected by tissues in
the body will be received back at the probe as echo signals. ���������������������6��������� ����������� ������������������

The energy of these echo signals are transferred through

the matching layer that allows ef ficient propagation of
ultrasonic waves, and the vibrations will be converted by the Figure 4: L
 amination using the Multi-layered Crystal
piezoelectric transducer to electrical energy. This electrical Technology
energy then passes through a cable to the preamplifier of the Reduced energy loss and improved sensitivity can be expected.
main unit of the diagnostic ultrasound system. The recent
trend has been for transducers to be composed of multiple
transducer elements to reduce artifact. However, the greater
the number of transducer elements, the smaller the reception
area per element. As a result, the output impedance of the
transducer becomes higher than the load impedance of
the cable and preamplifier, increasing energy loss due to
poor matching and the likelihood of reduced sensitivity of
the signal reception (Figure 3). The Multi-layered Crystal
Technology, where the transducer element is composed of
multiple layers, improves the impedance matching between Figure 5: D
 iagram showing the orientation of
the cable and the main unit. Sensitivity is improved especially mechanical strains in a piezoelectric material
for low-frequency probes where the electrical impedance of A single crystal allows energy to be aligned in the same direction.

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The electromechanical coupling factor (k33, a measure of the
magnitude of electromechanical energy conversion) of lead
zirconate titanate (PZT) is about 70-80%, whereas that of a
single crystal piezoelectric material exceeds 90%. The latter
material is responsive over a wider frequency range and is
also higher in sensitivity.
(2) Frontend
Featured in the frontend is the Compound Pulse Wave
Generator, or CPWG+, which uses programmable waveform
transmission technology to enable high energy sound
transmission. Programmable waveform transmission allows
for fine control of the frequency, amplitude, and pulse form
of the transmitted sound waves to meet the transducer
characteristics.
Previously, it has been necessary to keep the transmitted
sound pressure low to alleviate the effect of increased probe
sur face temperature. Setting such a limit, however, can
compromise the full potential of the probe and may result in
poor image quality due to a lack of sensitivity.
The major cause of increased probe surface temperature
is energy loss during electroacoustic conversion within the
transducer. To overcome this problem, a programmable
waveform transmitter which reduces energy loss during the
formation of transmission waveforms is a valid approach
to maximize the potential of the probe. The combination of
the above-mentioned Multi-layered Cr ystal technology or
the single crystal probe with the CPWG+ to overcome the
problem of increased probe surface temperature has allowed
us to provide high quality images both in terms of resolution
and sensitivity.
(3) Beam Former
During signal reception, the Pixel Focus technology used
in the Beam Former contributes to improved resolution. A
digital Beam Former is commonly used in many models. It
receives the echo signals reflected by different targets at a
time that is dependent on the distance of the target from the
individual transducer elements and performs digital delay
processing by which the difference in time taken by the
signal to reach each individual transducer elements is stored
in the memory for correction before the individual signals
are summed in the main unit of the ultrasound system. In a
full digital ultrasound system, received signals are summed
without the use of an analog delay line, resulting in a greater
degree of freedom in delay processing and a dramatic
improvement in the precision of received signal focusing.
In addition to conventional capabilities, the Pixel Focus
technology used in the ARIETTA series reduces the loss in
focus precision by correcting refraction errors in the lens
and matching layer of each probe, and allows for improved
accuracy with multiple beams by individual apodiziation
(weighting) in different beam directions during simultaneous
reception of multiple signals. The combined use with a
new phase-adjusting ASIC (Application Specific Integrated
Circuit) for high-precision Focus technology allows for the
formation of narrower reception beams.
Fur thermore, ARIETTA’s Beam Former achieves a
maximum four-fold increase in frame rate compared to that
achieved with the conventional method of simultaneous
multiple processing. As stated above, the use of Pixel
Focus technology has enhanced spatial resolution, azimuth
resolution, and temporal resolution in all modes, and realized
a dramatic improvement in image quality.
(4) Backend
When a scanned object is densely populated with multiple
scatterers, the interference between carrier frequencies
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of individual scattered waves prevents calculation of the
arithmetic sum for the envelope. As the value does not
directly correlate with the scattering intensity, the resulting
image takes on a fabric-like pattern called “speckle.” Since
many organs are closely packed with scatterers, most of what
we see in a typical ultrasound image is speckle pattern. To
solve this problem, a variety of technologies have recently
been proposed for reducing speckle using image processing
techniques such as filtering.
On the other hand, there are many clinical examinations —
staging of cir rhosis, for example — in which visual
experience of speckle patterns and their correlation to
tissue properties has been accumulated and exploited as
a diagnostic tool. In which case, unconditional removal of
speckle may lead to loss of useful diagnostic information,
leaving no room to apply the established image reading
expertise.
To address this challenge, we equipped ARIETTA with
HI REZ*2 as an image filter to selectively reduce speckle that
affects the visibility of tissue structures without sacrificing
the information in the speckle pattern that cor relates
with tissue properties (Figure 6). Since HI REZ requires
sophisticated computation for simultaneous removal of
speckle in multiple directions, it makes it difficult to secure
real-time processing by software, so we have developed a
dedicated UltraBackend hardware to realize the real-time
image processing in clinical fields that require high frame
rates, such as cardiology. HI REZ operates with linear,
convex, and sector probes, so it is applicable in all clinical
fields. HI REZ can be used in combination with spatial
compound imaging to create genuine images with fewer
artifacts.
Figure 6: HI REZ
Left: Speckle noise in an ultrasound image, Right: Clinical image of
the gallbladder using HI REZ
(5) Monitor
The monitor features the latest 21-inch IPS-Pro*3 liquid
cr ystal display, developed by reassessing the structural
members of the drive system, electrode structure, liquid
cr ystal material, and oriented film material, to provide a
wider field of vision, increased brightness, and greater
contrast performance. The resulting image is crisp and clear,
even in a dark examination room.
In conclusion, the ARIETTA series of diagnostic
ultrasound systems are designed without compromise to
achieve the highest possible levels of image quality by strong
performance in all modules from the probe through to the
display monitor.
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3. Ergonomics and environmental
considerations
In recent years, increasing attention has been paid to
musculoskeletal disorders amongst sonographers, mainly in
Europe and the United States 4). In the pursuit of ergonomic
design of the system housing, however, it was difficult to
quantify the operator’s muscle fatigue. To address this
challenge, we carried out a research study in 2010 to measure
muscle load using electromyography and determined the
ideal specifications for a diagnostic ultrasound system. In
particular, the ARIETTA models are designed so that the
monitor and the console panel can achieve positions and
heights such that the operator can work with less muscle
load in a seated position, and the increased adjustable range
of the monitor arm allows the operator to view the screen
at an optimal downward angle of 15 degrees (Figure 7).
Looking slightly downward reduces the strain on the neck
and shoulders and is expected to contribute to the prevention
of VDT (Visual Display Terminal) syndrome.
ARIETTA’s improved environmental performance includes
the coexistence of compactness with high performance.
We have worked to meet this challenge from the initial
phase of development by considering ever y possibility
that reduces the number of parts and boards used in the
system, in order to downsize the system housing while
fulfilling the demanding requirements for image quality,
functionality, operability, recording, and so on. Fortunately,
the last few years have seen advancement in mobile
devices and terminals that have led to the development of
programmable high-performance devices (e.g., integrated
circuits) that can be used in diagnostic ultrasound systems,
allowing for downsizing and improved functionality through
optimal programming without compromising the scalability
of the circuit. As a result of the enhanced efficiency and
optimization of these individual parts or their integration
by the use of integrated circuits, the ARIETTA series —
especially ARIETTA V60 — has successfully reduced
the number of boards and the volume of the housing to
approximately 50% compared to our previous conventional
model, the HI VISION Avius*4, and decreased its weight to
89 kg. This downsizing has also led to approximately 40%
reduction in electric power consumption, which is another
great improvement in its environmental performance. The
ARIETTA series of diagnostic ultrasound systems cause less
Figure 7: Ergonomic design
When seated at the ARIETTA models (left and centre) the hands can be placed on the console panel in a lower position than when seated at a
conventional model (right: Alpha7), and the monitor can be viewed from a slightly downward direction to the recommended maximum angle of 15
degrees.
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fatigue to the user, are easy to use, compact, and are capable
of storing the entire peripheral equipment required for the
examination.
4. Summary
Our latest diagnostic ultrasound systems ARIETTA V70
and ARIETTA V60 feature the highest performance in their
class, achieved through enhanced efficiency and downsizing
without compromising the technologies and capabilities
inherited from Hitachi Medical Corporation and Aloka
Co., Ltd. We continue our efforts to meet challenges posed
by advanced examination techniques in all disciplines of
diagnostic ultrasound and create standards that will lead the
increasingly competitive diagnostic ultrasound field.
*1 A RIETTA is a registered trademark of Hitachi Aloka
Medical, Ltd.
*2 HI REZ, *4 HI VISION Avius, and Avius are registered
trademarks of Hitachi Medical Corporation.
*3 I PS and IPS-Pro are registered trademarks of Japan
Display Inc.
Reference
1) Akifumi Otake: Technology for enhanced image quality
in diagnostic ultrasound systems ProSound Alpha 10
and Alpha 7. Japanese Journal of Medical Ultrasound
Technology, Vol. 33, 44-49, 2008.
2) Naohiro Yoshida, et al.: Development of digital ultrasound
diagnostic scanner “HI VISION Preirus”. Hitachi Review,
March 2011, 34-39.
3) A kifumi Sakou: High-per formance technologies of
ultrasound probe. Journal of Breast and Thyroid Sonology,
Vol.3, No.1, January 2014, 29-33.
4) Katsumi Kondo: Recent IPS Alpha technologies and future
possibilities. Hitachi Review, October 2014, 60-65.
Research and Development Team, the Japan Society of
Ultrasonics in Medicine: Recommendations to ensure
the safety, comfort, and health of ultrasonographers —
instruments and working environment to prevent work-
related musculoskeletal disorder and eye disorder. The
Japan Society of Ultrasonics in Medicine, 2012.
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